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Preventing Revictimization Through a Web-Based Intervention for Primary Caregivers of Youth in Care (EMPOWERYOU):
Nina Heinrichs1, Antonia Brühl1
1Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
Insights
Foster caregivers can reduce child revictimization risks with targeted online interventions. This study optimizes support for children in foster care, aiming to interrupt cycles of violence and improve emotional stability.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
- Intervention Science
Background:
- Children in foster care face higher risks of relationship problems and challenging behaviors due to early life neglect or maltreatment.
- These adversities can lead to cycles of risky behaviors, increasing vulnerability to revictimization.
- Foster caregivers experience increased stress supporting these children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a sustainable, internet-delivered intervention for foster caregivers to reduce revictimization risk in children.
- To select effective intervention components using a multiphase optimization strategy (MOST).
- To support foster caregivers in managing challenging child behaviors and promoting healthy development.
Main Methods:
- A 2^4 factorial trial involving 317 foster caregivers and children aged 8-13.
- Random assignment to 1 of 16 intervention conditions.
- Primary outcome: rate of revictimization; Secondary outcomes: risk-taking and functional relationship behaviors.
Main Results:
- Recruitment began in March 2022, with 181 families enrolled by October 2022.
- Study timeline is subject to COVID-19 related delays.
- Full results are anticipated by February 2024.
Conclusions:
- Accessible information is crucial for foster caregivers to address early life adversities and prevent cycles of violence.
- Interventions should focus on caregiver support, including self-care, emotion regulation, and strategies for managing child relationship behaviors.
- Targeted support can enhance the developmental pathway toward health and emotional stability for children in foster care.
Background:
Children in foster care are at a higher risk for relationship problems than their counterparts raised by their biological family because of higher exposure to or prevalence of neglect or maltreatment early in life. Consequently, these children may also show more challenging behavior in their foster families, which in turn increases the parental stress experience of foster caregivers. Furthermore, the children may engage in a vicious cycle of risky relationship behaviors and expectations that put them at a greater risk for revictimization.
Objective:
To support foster caregivers in reducing the risk for revictimization, several intervention modules delivered via the internet were developed using a consumer-based approach (phase 1 of the multiphase optimization strategy). This project (phase 2 of the multiphase optimization strategy) aimed to develop a sustainable intervention by selecting promising intervention components based on their contribution to the outcome.
Methods:
In a 24 factorial trial, a total of 317 foster caregivers with children aged 8 to 13 years are randomly assigned to 1 of 16 conditions. The primary outcome is the rate of revictimization from baseline to 3 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes include risk-taking and functional behaviors in relationships. All caregivers will receive access to all the intervention components after the follow-up assessment. The participants assigned to the condition with all component levels on are expected to show the best improvement in the primary and secondary outcomes.
Results:
Recruitment and data collection for the factorial trial started in March 2022 and is ongoing. As of October 2022, we recruited 181 families. Although it is difficult to predict the exact study timeline owing to COVID-19 pandemic-related delays, results are expected in February 2024.
Conclusions:
There is a need for easily accessible information related to raising children in foster care who have experienced early life adversities to interrupt the cycle of violence and enhance the developmental pathway of health and emotional stability. It might be useful, in addition to generally useful parenting information (eg, parental self-care or emotion regulation management), to specifically focus on the needs of these caregivers (eg, how to support the child to reduce dysfunctional relationship behaviors that may have developed because of early adverse experiences).
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05235659; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05235659.
International Registered Report Identifier (Irrid):
DERR1-10.2196/38183.
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